What Elon’s DOGE cuts are really about

Billionaire Elon Musk is at the helm of US President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, established to slash massive amounts of government spending as fast as possible.  In just weeks they’ve dismantled agencies, cancelled programs and attempted to lay off tens of thousands of government workers.  Everyone agrees that the US government is a mess, that it’s spending more than it earns and something should be done. And yet, there are mass protests across America against what Musk is doing.  This week on If You’re Listening, can DOGE do what Musk and Trump say it will do?  Adelaide, check out the full podfest program, including shows from Not Stupid and All in the Mind: https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/events/podfest/   Newcastle you can find details for our live show on April 6 here: https://www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au/events/if-youre-listening-live/  Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdUGdSEXkQU&list=PLDTPrMoGHssAfgMMS3L5LpLNFMNp1U_Nq&index=1&t=8s 

Om Podcasten

The world is on fire. There's a coup. Inflation is through the roof, and AI is taking our jobs. What does it all mean? Each week, Matt Bevan explains the biggest story in world news while hiding in his basement from assassins and authoritarian regimes. Recent episodes include an exploration of the relationship between India and China, a closer look at the Saudi Arabian city of NEOM, the conflict in the Middle East, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and Ukraine's incursions into Vladimir Putin's Russia. Matt Bevan draws connections between stories from the past and the events of the present to help listeners understand world news and international affairs. The podcast also features series about big moments in world news; previous series have focused on the United States presidential election, the United Kingdom's 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, Donald Trump's presidency and promise to Make America Great Again, the Mueller Report, Vladimir Putin's scheme to destroy western democracies, how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse, and Australia's turbulent history with climate change. There's a new episode of If You're Listening every Thursday.